


timeless

by snjeguljica33



Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-12
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2020-06-27 01:15:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19780228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snjeguljica33/pseuds/snjeguljica33
Summary: Zero had found more than he was looking for... but he quickly lost it...no beta, sorry





	1. Chapter 1

Zero is at the top of the world. He raised his head high and looked at the mass. His chest swell with pride.

How many times he think about this in stinking room, where he slept with other children without a parent. Their foster parents did not care about them as long as the checks arrived. Until the state pays for lost children and so that no one wanted.  
Even then, he swore to prove to them and to all that he was not worthless, that he did not zero as they called him.

All this passes through his head as his eyes cross over people who look at him with admiration. He's a star now. Rich and famous. Today he has won his third ring. Can be better than this?

They come from all sides and tap it on his shoulder, squeeze his hand, offer whatever he wants. After these five years in LA Devils, he's been a little tired of it. He had literally everything, and actually had nothing. He would admit this to himself on very rare occasions of loneliness. It is strange to say that you are lonely when you are always surrounded by a bunch of people, but Zero knew the difference and still somewhere in the bottom of the soul hoped it would change someday.

One of the things he did not like in this business was the official dinner or party. He know that every appearance is brought by the money of the leisured housewives or wealthy kids. His jaw is hurt by false smile. Perhaps today would be a great escape from all this. If his three rings did not bring that privilege, he do not know what else could.

In a moment he pulled back to the back door and dropped to a dark alley. Looks around as he goes, hoping no one has noticed it. He breathed deeply in the moment of his freedom as rushed toward the city, further away from this crowd that constantly follows him.  
As he strolls through the dark streets, suddenly stumbles on something and almost falls. He seems to hear the quiet groan so returns and looks better. Under the bunch of dirty clothes and cartons someone is sleeping. At least he hopes to sleep, hoping he was not hurt. Though it is dark, can see that this young man.  
Crouched next to him, think for a moment, helping him to stand up, and even though the man murmurs something incomprehensible, Zero cover him with his jacket and takes him to his apartment.

For now, he set the bed in the guest room and helped him wash and dress some clean clothes. He is not sure why he brought a complete stranger to his home, but still helps him to drink something and lie down in bed.  
Watches him for a while as he sleeps restless. He seems extremely skinny and exhausted, though he can estimate it's in the early twenties. Who knows what brought him to this state, he thinks when he gets up and goes to the kitchen to prepare them some food.

When he is finished, everything put off for later and sits in front of the TV and although something is spinning on the program he thinks of a man who sleeps in the next room. In addition, he seems to be somehow familiar. He had seen those dark eyes somewhere. Although many people he meet in the business, maybe it just looked like someone else.

He seems to have fallen asleep when senses touch on the shoulder "Hey" the man says quietly as he looks shamefully at him.  
"Hey," Zero suddenly stood up from the couch, "Are you hungry?" He asks as he studies him.  
" I could eat something " The man still silently answers "by the way, I am Jude," but he does not move from the place where he stands.  
Zero waved indefinitely toward the kitchen, and Jude moved after him.  
"Zero" he says only a short while, thinking Jude knows this, but as he warms food and draw drink from the fridge, in Jude's eyes, he does not see any sign of recognition.

Jude is sitting at the table looking around. The apartment is huge and expensive. Zero is certainly rich, leading him to question what he is doing here and how he got there?  
He still looks scared as he eats. Maybe this is all this dream? He had lived for a long time as a homeless, and he was aware of how many times he had been completely numb and unconscious of everything around him.

Zero finally interrupted the unpleasant silence "How did you end up there?" and Jude thinks a few moments what would he say to him. As much as this stranger has helped him, he knows this is a one-off thing. This food and clothing is something he has not long since. He is afraid to talk to tears do not betray him, and still keep silent looking at the floor.

"It's OK," Zero put hand on his and tears rush from Jude's eyes. Only the simplest human touch finally broke him. Zero seemed to read his mind, sat beside him, and hugged him.

Jude quietly sobbing a long time, and Zero just holds him in his arms. Strangely how it feels pleasant though embraces a complete stranger who was picked up from the street. It does not matter to him, so he only hug him stronger.

When they finally parted, Zero looked at him and touched his cheek, and Jude smiled. Zero feels something not long ago. Happiness. Feel the happiness of another human being. The happiness he caused. Is there a better feeling in life?

"Eat, please" Zero says quietly, so both continue to eat in silence. It will take time if he wants to talk, now this is enough.

After that, they moves into the living room and watches a movie on netflix when Jude's head begins to fall, so Zero sends him to sleep.  
Zero is tired and started getting ready for bed. He is not sure if he will find him in the morning or he will disappear with some of his things. It does not matter. He just smiles before falls asleep too...


	2. Chapter 2

Zero wakes up and feels something fine smells. He got up and followed the scent. Stays at the kitchen door and smiles as Jude silently sings as he makes a breakfast. So, he's still here, moreover even a real breakfast. He did not want to scare him, and went quietly to the bathroom. He speeds up everything, dresses some casual clothes, and returns to Jude.

"Morning," Jude says, cheerfully, and already sets up a table, "I hope you do not get mad at being free and doing some food."  
"Of course not, thank you," Zero sat down and go for on the food. Anyway, Jude is still here and he is a great cook. This is so homely and casual, as it happens every day. Zero would even imagine it happening every day.  
Jude sat beside him and adding him coffee "Sorry, yesterday I was tired, I know you have questions."

So Zero certainly has questions, but he is no longer impatient. For now, it is important for Jude to be safe and warm. Here they are together at his desk and enjoy a quiet morning and a delicious breakfast. Today, there is no obligation, so Jude and he are talking about some ordinary topics. Somehow deliberately avoid what matters. Who is Jude, and who is Zero actually?

"Listen, I should go" Jude says and Zero's heart begins to race. He knows that when he goes he'll never see him again. Frantically mull over which should do now.

Jude is already starting to stand up, ready to pull back when Zero catches his hand "Stay" say quietly and Jude is sitting down again.  
"But ... you do not know me" Jude looks into his eyes. Zero looking at him a while when finally says " I'd like to know you better " and really thinks that.  
"Okay" Jude says easy.  
Although this is very unusual for both of them, afterwards they get up after breakfast and watch a movie. Then Zero showed him apartment and told him about basketball. Jude listened carefully. There and there ask him something, and even add to his own story as a once-amateur sportsman.

After they cook and walk around town, then they return after a busy day and tired both back into their sleeping room.

The next day Zero asks him if he wants to go with him to the arena. Jude apologizes and thanks, but says he would rather stay in the apartment. Zero has nothing against it. He says he will come back quickly and let free to use whatever he needs.

Jude look round the apartment. He's glad he has a little time to think about what's going on. Zero brought him here and helped him. Something that does not happen often. He does not really remember when something like this happened last time. Zero is a real surprise him and he is not clear why he cares for someone like him? They spent a really enjoyable day together, but what can he give him in turn? 

He almost forgot who he was before he turned to this wreck. Sometimes he intended to study or deal with sports, and then his mother died. The only support he had in life and since then everything is moving downhill. He became his father and it made him terrified more than anything else.

And then this one day with Zero proved he might not be late yet. To be able to kick and start again. Just how? Where to start?

He did not even notice that it was night when Zero came back.  
"Hello, I did not think I would stay so long, how was your day?" he says happily as pours the food and drink he has brought on her way home. He was not sure whether Jude was still here, but by his smile he could see that he was delighted. "Hello stranger" Jude now also realizes that he has forgotten to eat and what is more important to drink. Zero knew it somehow and brought dinner.  
He tells him how he spent the day while dinning and Jude decides at least this day to pretend that this is real. Perhaps to one day be true...

After watching the game on TV and after some time Jude finds Zero falls asleep and leans head on his shoulder. His heart beating wildly, but does not move want to extend the moment. Zero did not ask what he wanted, did not ask him to leave, could not have been a better host. He was perfect, and Jude's heart hurt to think that all this was just a passing break. Slowly he pulled out and pushed it down from the couch, pressed kiss on his forehead, and quietly left the apartment…


	3. Chapter 3

Zero knows he is alone before opens his eyes. He knew that to come to this sooner or later, but he hoped that he might stay, or ... in fact he did not know what he hoped for. He found him half alive in the alley and helped him recover. That's all. Perhaps there was simply no time for them.

Days pass, and Zero can not get Jude out of his head. Where did he go? What if something happened to him? The break is between two seasons and there is plenty of time, so all it's worse. He tried to go on holiday and socialize with as many people as possible, but it does not help. He is trying to look for him in suspicious quarters, and that helps even less. Jude seems to have fallen into the ground. He does not even know where to look for him, he does not know anything about him. Even his last name. It starts to lose some hope.

When they finally start training for the next season he hopes to have less time to worry. Comforted him a thought that maybe Jude find some way.

The first official meeting is in Oscar's meeting hall. Zero has seen the Oscars several times but did not actually have any contacts. He is now watching him from the distance and seems to have grown up and somehow tired from time when Zero joined the LA Devils team for the first time.  
When the official part ends, the coach asks them to greet the team owner. As Zero stepped forward, his eyes fell on the photo behind Oscar's desk. On it is obviously Jude. There is no way he made a mistake. No matter how crazy it is, it's Jude.  
Probably that picture he saw before, now knows where previously seen Jude. He was confused. Muttered an apology to Oscar, and rushed out of the hall.  
So, is Jude someone close to Oscar? But who? But who could ask such a thing?  
Then he saw Lionel, Oscar's new wife coming in his direction. She always seemed sympathetic to. Sometimes she would talk to players or dancers. It was never a high-flown, so Zero decided to risk and come to her.

They exchanged a few sentences and Zero suddenly asks, "Sorry, who is the young man in the picture behind Oscar's desk?"   
Lionel thinks a moment and as if sadness passed over her face "That's Jude, Oscar's son."   
Zero is astonished "Son?" Asks more himself than her.   
"Yes," Lionel continued, "but he disappeared before you joined the club," she sighed deeply, and Zero decided stop asking. He apologized by training, thank her and go to the locker room.

He sat panting. Is this possible? Jude is Oscar's son! And why does Lionel think he's disappeared? How much he remembered when they talked about basketball, Jude told him nothing. Perhaps he did not intend to talk about it, and perhaps in a state of which he had forgotten everything now.   
Actually, that's not all that matters. Zero still worries where Jude is? If at least he could keep him and help him, but he knows that no one can help if he does not want to. 

Dressed up for training. It might help to turn thoughts, but even after three hours of hard exercising his head is still running bad thoughts. He was never one of those who give up. Maybe he did not use all the possibilities? If he goes by another approach, maybe ...

That evening elaborates on the idea of trying to find out something from people who are longer in the club. It just needs to be subtle. But it's really strange how he has never heard anything about him before.

In any case, he does not mind giving up. He is aware why this works. In a short period of time, Jude had given him the warmth he had not felt for a long time. Perhaps Jude thought Zero helped him, but he did not know he helped to Zero too. Zero feels alive again.

Who knows maybe their encounter was not a coincidence. Maybe everything was a game of destiny. Of all the people in the world, Zero fell in love with Oscar's son. But what does it matter when it can not find him.  
He still goes on training, promotions, matches. All that is expected of him. Still, he's been questioning around, hoping something useful to find out.

He arrange a little mosaic of this minimal information he has collected. Jude is a little younger than him. He was not often part of the basketball world, which means he rarely saw the Oscars. He lived in Oregon with his mother, until the day of her death.

Zero did not know much about Oscar. All this was a rumors. Oscar was the owner of the club, untouchable and elusive. It will certainly not find out anything from him. He did not even want to swirling around Lionel. Who then stays there? Everything he learned until now was pretty vague.

Jude apparently appeared here shortly after mother's death. As it appeared, it quickly disappeared and since then nobody knows anything about him.   
Zero stays short of ideas. He did not want to tell anyone he saw it, even spent two days with him. Jude probably had his reasons. But although it may have to stop, Zero just can not. Jude engrave in his memory irreversibly.


	4. Chapter 4

After one particularly exhausting training, he went home and, as searches for the car keys, seems to see someone.  
"Jude?" He says more in feeling and desire than really recognition.  
"Hey" Jude answered leaning against the car.  
"I was looking for you ..." Zero can't hide how thrilled is. This time Jude looks much better.  
" I wanted to contact you, but I had to settle before that" Jude smiles back. He really wanted to contact him, but not until he was sure his life was back to normal. Whatever that means.

Zero opened the passenger door for him and Jude walked in without thinking. Zero wants to be close to him and this time he hopes he will not disappear again. In fact, he will do everything in his power to prevent this from happening.

“Are you hungry?” Zero asks.  
"I could eat" when Jude says they both laugh, on deja vu and the thought of having their own inside joke.  
Zero drive them to a restaurant near his apartment. As they dine, Jude tells him what he did. He looked for a job in a warehouse near where Zero found him that night, and he got one. Now a few months have passed and he is getting to his feet a little. He rented a small room first and now a small apartment. Is not something special, but everything is better than the street.

Zero is so happy for him. He doesn't ask why he didn't ask him for help. He assumes Jude wants to do this alone. And now that he was so settled, he wanted to see him. Not only that, he wanted to see whether it two days both mean the same. When he sees Jude's smile he is sure and that is enough for him.

After dinner, Jude apologizes and goes to his apartment. He apparently wants to determine a pace and Zero lets him go. At least this time he had his cell phone number.  
He didn't ask him anything about Oscar. There will be time for that one day.  
He is so happy to have Jude back. If he has to sort things out alone, Zero can wait, as long as it takes.

Zero is patient, which he otherwise never was. Every Jude call awaits eagerly. He looks forward to every one of their encounters as a little child. Jude is determined to succeed and he lets it go. He hopes at least he has contributed a little bit. He supports and encourages him, but tries not to interfere, fearing not to offend him.

Jude is happy too, because he has found meaning again. After their first encounter a few months ago, Zero showed him that there were still good people. And now he keeps showing it to him. He is not rushing, waiting for him and looking forward to their every meeting, and even more to his every success.

He knows that a warehouse job is not something that will work forever. Now he was thinking about going back to college. Once upon a time he used to dream of being a social worker. Why not, so he's not that old? It's never too late to learn something new. And most importantly, he knows that Zero will support him.

Yet he is aware that he will have to tell him one day… As soon as he was a little better, he remembers piece by piece his old life and the Oscar. He was able to relate that Zero is one of his best players. He's afraid that Zero doesn't think he wants to use him in some way. And since Zero never mentions it, he's not sure if he knows Oscar is his father.

He doesn't want anything from Oscars either. He didn't find him guilty, he had to defeat his demons by himself. They were never connected anyway. In fact, he didn't know him at all. When he appeared completely devastated after his mother's death, Oscar might have helped, but Jude had disappeared before that.   
He had been fighting for years and to his luck Zero ran into him. Someone who practically raised him from the dead. He will never be able to thank him enough. Although Zero didn't even ask for it. They were a good team, now that Jude was human-like again.

The relationship between his mother and Oscar was, to put it mildly, cold. Oscar took care of the finances, and that was about all. He was more surprised that his mother never encouraged their relationship. Jude didn't know why. As a quiet and timid kid, he missed paternal figure, but when he would sometimes ask about him, his mother did not want to talk about it.

He inevitably bonded with her and when she get ill and died suddenly, Jude fell apart. Maybe he had the wrong idea about Oscar, maybe it would give him any comfort, but Jude didn't give him time. And now he knows that someday he will have to face him. Maybe Oscar explains to him some things he doesn't understand, or fills in some gaps. He'll have to do this without Zero, but he doesn't want to lie to him anyway. One of these days, he will talk to him about everything. After a long time he trusted someone again.


	5. Chapter 5

For this weekend's Jude planned something he wanted to surprise Zero. He had no games, so Jude invited him to spend weekend at his mother's house. He is not sure what he looks like now after five years, but Zero gladly agreed to come with him and look. He'll need a friend anyway.

The flight is comfortable. They talk and get to know each other better. Zero tells him that he grew up in a foster family. Although he jokes about it, Jude can notice some bitter tone in Zero's voice. Jude now understands some things. And he's still struggling with some trauma from the past. Maybe that's why they understand each other so well.

The house is the same as Jude remembers. Of course it is derelict and dusty, but nothing that a little cleaning can not be solved.  
When some basic things are in order, Jude orders food delivery. The last time they ate was before departure, and now it's late afternoon. As Jude prepares the drink they brought and a table, Zero wanders around the house imagining Jude growing up here. The house is not big, but he can see that it was nicely decorated and decent. He remembers Jude saying his mother was a teacher. One entire shelf in the living room is covered with books. Zero may not have cared for it so far, but this house somehow still looks like home.

Jude is quiet. It is difficult for him to face the house where he lived with his mother again. He may have grown stronger lately, but they are coming back to his memory days after her death and he is glad Zero is here with him. He doesn't know how to handle it alone.  
After a meal, they tidy up a bit, and then Jude finds an old album so they both have fun with pictures from his youth.

In the midst of this Jude suddenly says "Oscar is my father."  
Zero looks at him for a moment. "I know," he said softly, "Lionel told me when I saw your picture in Oscar's Meeting Room. You know, when you're gone again ... "  
Jude smiles, it's always been easy to talk to Zero about anything.  
"I remember Lionel. After my mother's death, I spent two days with them, she was always kind to me. Admittedly, maybe I misjudged Oscar too, I just didn't give them a chance."

Zero listens intently as Jude talks about life with his mother and the concerns he had about his father. Jude admits that he is aware that it would be fair to give him a chance.

Zero understands everything and Jude knows it. That's why he's the only person he told all about. The evening is cozy and warm, so they sit on the terrace with glasses of wine, each engrossed in their thoughts.  
Jude seemed to be the most natural thing in the world, resting his head on Zero's shoulder, and Zero's heart quickening. This is something he would not admit, but sometimes he imagined Jude constantly in his life. Even now, he won't rush anything. Jude has been through a difficult period and he has to decide if he wants the same.  
But when Jude gets up and extends his hand, Zero gladly accepts. Maybe Jude has already decided ...

Although they have the whole house, Jude takes him to his old bed. It's a bit narrow and maybe too small for two grown men, but it doesn't seem to bother either.  
When they undress and lie down already want to be as close as possible to each other. At first they just lie in the dark and silence, not touching. This time Zero makes the first move and squeezes Jude's hand, then Jude turns and search after his lips blindly.  
They kiss slowly, gently and little by little their hand start exploring.

Jude has always known that he is gay, but for the last five years he cannot say that he remembers everything. He probably had several meaningless sex encounters that he would rather not even remember.  
He hasn't been with anyone since he started to recover. First of all he went to testing and was relieved when he got a negative test. He aware that had stunning good luck.

He didn't know what Zero's emotional status was. They never talked about it. Maybe now is the time for that, but there seems to be no need. Their bodies know exactly what to do, so Jude finally shuts off his mind and lets go.

Zero is only now realizing what went wrong in his life. No fame or money could replace this. He finally had someone so precious in his hands. He understands what it's like to put someone's desires and dreams ahead of their own. Zero just now realizes the meaning of the word love.  
He feels how much Jude wants and needs him and knows that from today until the end of his days, he will give him whatever he wants.


End file.
